Regan survives on power of hope

The Leitrim full-forward remains optimistic despite being severely tested in a life marked by tragedy, writes Christy OConnor

ON his way from Letterkenny to Carrick-on-Shannon for training on Tuesday evening, Colin Regan came upon an accident just outside Ballybofey. Traffic was rerouted off the N15 towards the Blue Stack Mountains and Regan wasn’t sure if he’d make training on time.

These may be the weeks to live for but the road never seems to get any shorter. With so many players living and working outside the county, Leitrim trained in the Longford Rugby Club grounds for most of the year before returning to Carrick five weeks ago. Longford was two-and-a-half hours hard driving from Letterkenny but returning to Carrick has shaved an hour of Regan’s round trip. On Tuesday, he was thankful for small mercies.

It was on such long trips that he really missed Gareth Phelan. Since he began work as a journalist with the Donegal News four years ago, Regan used to meet Phelan in Kinlough